07 Mar 2025
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Learning, Growing, and Improving: Takeaways from the SPVS (Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons) Congress
At Westport Vets, we’re always looking for ways to improve—whether it's our clinical skills, communication, or the way we support our team and clients. This month, I attended the Regent SPVS Congress, an event that brings together veterinary professionals to discuss the future of our profession. It was a great opportunity to hear about new ideas and challenge ourselves to do even better.
Here are some key takeaways that we’re already working on implementing at Westport:
1. Always Discuss Costs Before Leaving the Room
One of the biggest frustrations for pet owners is uncertainty around costs. While we always aim to be transparent, one of my key takeaways from the Congress was that we need to make sure every client knows the cost of treatment before leaving the consultation room. No surprises, no confusion—just clear, upfront conversations.
To make this a habit, we’re reinforcing this expectation with our team and refining how we communicate treatment plans and pricing. This ensures that pet owners can make informed decisions on the spot, with full clarity.
2. AI-Scribing to Improve Client Communication
Technology is changing the way we work, and one of the most exciting developments discussed at SPVS Congress was AI-powered scribing. Imagine being able to focus entirely on your pet and their treatment during a consultation, without the vet needing to stop and type up notes. AI tools are now capable of listening, summarising key details, and automatically generating clinical records.
We’re exploring how this could work in practice at Westport. If we can spend less time typing and more time engaging with pets and owners, it’s a win-win.
3. Improving Our Induction Process
Bringing new team members into the practice is always a challenge—there’s a lot to learn, from clinical protocols to our unique culture. One of the areas flagged at Congress was the importance of structured induction to help new hires settle in quickly and perform at their best.
We already put a strong emphasis on training, but we’re taking a fresh look at our induction process to make it clearer, more structured, and more supportive. That way, new vets, nurses, and support staff can integrate seamlessly into the team and hit the ground running.
4. Developing a Better Student Vet Rota
We love having student vets at Westport—it’s a great way for them to gain hands-on experience and for us to help shape the next generation of vets. But balancing student training with a busy practice can be tricky.
One of my goals following the Congress is to develop a more consistent, structured rota for student vets, ensuring they get the right mix of hands-on learning and mentorship while still keeping the practice running smoothly. We want students to feel like a valuable part of the team while making sure we can provide the best possible service to our clients.